EP2580807B1 - Antenna structure with improved signal/noise ratio - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an antenna arrangement with an area antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, and to a method for operating an antenna arrangement.

Substrates with electrically conductive coatings have already been described many times in the patent literature. By way of example only, reference is made to the documents DE 19858227 C1 . DE 10200705286 . DE 102008018147 A1 and DE 102008029986 A1 directed. As a rule, the conductive coating serves for reflection of heat rays and thus, for example, in motor vehicles or in buildings for improving the thermal comfort. In many cases, it is also used as a heating layer to heat a transparent pane over its entire surface electrically.

For example, from the publications DE 10106125 A1 . DE 10319606 A1 . EP 0720249 A2 . US 2003/0112190 A1 and DE 19843338 C2 is known, transparent coatings can also be used as surface antennas for receiving electromagnetic waves because of their electrical conductivity. For this purpose, the conductive coating is galvanically or capacitively coupled to a coupling electrode and the antenna signal is provided in the edge region of the disk. Usually, the antenna signal is supplied to an antenna amplifier, which is connected in particular in motor vehicles with the electrically conductive body, whereby a high-frequency technically effective reference potential for the antenna signal is specified by this electrical connection. The usable antenna voltage results from the difference between the reference potential and the potential of the antenna signal.

The U.S. Patent No. 5,285,048 shows an antenna assembly with two wire antennas, which are inductively and capacitively coupled. A capacitance allows high-frequency antenna signals to be grounded. Further state of the art can be found in the international patent application WO 2004/100311 A1 , the international patent application WO 93/23890 A1 , the European patent application EP 0 961 342 A2 and the French patent application FR 2 608 844 be removed.

Now, with the planar antenna, due to the large antenna area, electromagnetic signals can be received within a relatively large space. In motor vehicles, for example, this has the consequence that, in addition to the useful signals, undesired interference signals from electrical devices such as cameras, sensors, instrument panel, Engine control unit and the like can be received by the planar antenna. As a result of these interference signals, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the surface antenna can be significantly worsened.

A common way to improve the signal-to-noise ratio is to avoid spurious signals by filtering and shielding the sources of interference. In addition, the influence of interference signals can be reduced if a relatively large geometric distance between sources of interference and surface antenna is maintained. In practice, however, the implementation of these requirements is usually associated with difficulties. On the one hand, suppression and shielding of sources of interference is technically complex and involves relatively high costs. On the other hand, a correspondingly large spatial distance between sources of interference and surface antenna can often not be met, for example in the case of a front engine and an applied to the windshield surface antenna. To make matters worse, that in modern vehicles often electrical equipment in the area of the foot of the rear view mirror are provided, which can act as sources of interference for a surface antenna on the windshield. If appropriate, a useful remedy can only be achieved by applying the planar antenna to the rear window.

In contrast, the object of the present invention is to develop conventional antenna arrangements with an area antenna so that useful signals can be received with a satisfactory signal / noise ratio despite the presence of interference sources that radiate noise to the surface antenna. Furthermore, such an antenna arrangement in mass production should be simple and inexpensive to produce, as well as function reliably and safely. These and other objects are achieved according to the proposal of the invention by an antenna arrangement (system) and a method for operating an antenna arrangement with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated by the features of the subclaims.

The antenna arrangement of the present invention comprises at least one electrically insulating, transparent substrate, as well as at least one electrically conductive, transparent coating which is a surface of the substrate at least partially covered and at least partially as a planar antenna (surface antenna) is used to receive electromagnetic waves. The conductive coating is adapted for use as a planar antenna and may for this purpose cover the substrate over a large area. The antenna arrangement can comprise, for example, a single-pane glass or a composite pane. The composite pane generally comprises two preferably transparent first substrates, which correspond to an inner and outer pane, which are firmly connected to each other by at least one thermoplastic adhesive layer, wherein the conductive coating may be located on at least one surface of at least one of the first substrates of the composite pane , In addition, the composite pane can be provided with a further second substrate, which is different from the first substrate and which is located between the two first substrates. The second substrate, in addition to or as an alternative to the first substrates, can serve as a carrier for the conductive coating, wherein at least one surface of the second substrate is provided with the conductive coating.

The antenna arrangement according to the invention furthermore comprises at least one first coupling electrode electrically coupled to the conductive coating for coupling useful signals out of the planar antenna. The first coupling electrode may, for example, be capacitively or galvanically coupled to the conductive coating.

Furthermore, the antenna arrangement comprises at least one interference source, which is arranged such that interference signals from the planar antenna can be received electromagnetically, as well as a mass-acting, electrically conductive structure, for example a metallic vehicle body or a metallic window frame, of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the antenna arrangement according to the invention comprises at least one second coupling electrode electrically coupled to the conductive coating for the capacitive decoupling of interference signals of the at least one external interference source received from the planar antenna from the planar antenna. The second coupling electrode may be capacitively or galvanically coupled to the conductive coating. Accordingly, the antenna arrangement according to the invention is used in particular for coupling out interference signals from the planar antenna, which were received by the planar antenna as electromagnetic waves, ie, the interference signals are not via a galvanic or capacitive coupling by a separate electrical component (capacitor) in the planar antenna
electrically transmitted but received by the planar antenna in its capacity as an antenna.

According to the invention, the at least one second coupling electrode is capacitively coupled to the conductive structure acting as an electrical ground, wherein the second coupling electrode has a first coupling surface and the conductive structure has a second coupling surface (coupling mating surface) capacitively coupled to the first coupling surface. The capacitive coupling surfaces of the at least one second coupling electrode and the electrically conductive, electrically conductive structure are adapted for a capacitive coupling, i. they are arranged with a suitable spacing in juxtaposition.

In this case, the capacitively coupled coupling surfaces are designed such that they are selectively permeable for a predeterminable frequency range which corresponds to the frequency range of the interference signals to be coupled out of the planar antenna, i. for different frequencies, the capacitive coupling surfaces are not permeable. In particular, the capacitive coupling surfaces for a frequency range above a threshold frequency of 170 MHz are selectively transmissive, corresponding to the frequency range of the terrestrial bands III-V, which can be well received by a line antenna. The desired frequency selectivity can be easily adjusted by the size and spacing of the capacitively coupled coupling surfaces, i. The size and spacing of the capacitive coupling surfaces are designed to be permeable to the frequency range of the interference signals of the interference source (s).

According to the invention, the at least one second coupling electrode is designed in the form of a projecting (areal) edge section of the conductive coating, the projecting edge section being designed to be capacitively coupled in opposition to the second coupling surface of the conductive structure acting as a ground. By this measure, a particularly simple and cost-effective in mass production of the antenna arrangement according to the invention is made possible, since the at least one second coupling electrode are produced as a portion of the conductive coating can. It would also be conceivable, for example, to produce the second coupling electrode from a metal foil strip which is galvanically or capacitively coupled to the conductive coating.

In the antenna arrangement according to the invention, it is advantageous if the at least one second coupling electrode for decoupling the interference signals from the planar antenna near the first coupling electrode for decoupling the useful signals from the surface antenna is arranged. Generally, antenna signals at the various coupling electrodes are coupled depending on the potential difference and distance to a surface portion of the surface coating antenna conductive coating: the greater the potential difference between a surface portion of the conductive coating and the coupling electrode and the smaller the distance to this surface portion, the more signal is decouple the coupling electrode (and the less signal is then coupled out at another, "competing" coupling electrode). In the antenna arrangement according to the invention can be achieved by the spatially close arrangement of the first coupling electrode and the at least one second coupling electrode in an advantageous manner that occurring during signal reception potential differences are substantially equal for both coupling electrodes. Due to the frequency-selective transmission behavior of the at least one second coupling electrode can furthermore be achieved that noise signals are coupled via the second coupling electrode and useful signals on the first coupling electrode. Due to the spatially close arrangement of the first coupling electrode and the at least one second coupling electrode can also be achieved that noise of all interfering with the surface antenna interference sources above the threshold or passage frequency of the second coupling electrode reliably and safely be coupled out of the planar antenna. The signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be significantly improved. An arrangement of the first coupling electrode and the at least one second coupling electrode is understood as "close" if the coupling electrodes bring about the desired effects mentioned. In particular, the at least one second coupling electrode for this purpose may have a distance from the first coupling electrode which is less than a quarter of the minimum wavelength of the interference signals to be coupled out of the planar antenna. By this measure, the signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be improved particularly well.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the antenna arrangement according to the invention, the second coupling electrode between a surface zone of the conductive coating (hereinafter referred to as "Störquellenflächezone"), whose points are characterized in that they have a shortest distance from the generally physically formed source of interference, and the arranged first coupling electrode. In particular, the points of the Störquellenflächezone can have a shortest vertical distance to the source of interference. The interference source area zone may, for example, correspond to a projection zone which results from projection, in particular orthogonal parallel projection, of the source of interference on the conductive coating. The generally physical source of interference can be understood in the projection as a broad body. By arranged between the Störquellenflächezone and the first coupling electrode second coupling electrode can be carried out in a beneficial manner, a spatially selective coupling out of interfering signals from the surface antenna, without significantly affecting the reception of useful signals. Due to the distance condition between the disturbance source and the disturbance source area zone, disturbance signals of the disturbance source in the disturbance source area zone having a largest signal amplitude or signal intensity are received. When the signal reception of the interference signals occurring potential differences between a Störquellenflächezone containing surface portion of the conductive coating and the second coupling electrode are thus greater than potential differences between this surface portion and the first coupling electrode, so that the noise signals are mainly coupled out from the second coupling electrode. Generally, the shape of the noise source area zone depends on the shape of the noise source. In addition, by the spatial position of the second coupling electrode between the Störquellenflächenzone and the first coupling electrode, a preferred coupling of interference signals can be achieved by the second coupling electrode. The first coupling electrode can furthermore receive useful signals from surface sections of the planar antenna, which are coupled out predominantly from the first coupling electrode. The signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be significantly improved. It may be advantageous if the at least one second coupling electrode has a distance from the interference source surface zone which is less than a quarter of the minimum wavelength of the interference signals, whereby a further improvement in the signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be achieved.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the antenna arrangement according to the invention, the at least one second coupling electrode is arranged near a Störquellenflächenzone the conductive coating whose points have a shortest distance from the at least one interference source and thus a maximum signal amplitude with respect to the interference signals of the interference source. By means of the second coupling electrode, a spatially selective decoupling of interference signals from the planar antenna can take place in an advantageous manner, without substantially impairing the reception of useful signals. The close arrangement of the second coupling electrode at the Störquellenflächezone causes upon receipt of the interference signals of the interference source potential differences between a Störquellenflächezone containing surface portion of the surface antenna and the second coupling electrode, which are greater than potential differences between this surface portion and the first coupling electrode, so that the interference signals predominantly from the second coupling electrode are coupled out. The first coupling electrode can furthermore receive useful signals from surface sections of the planar antenna in which potential differences occur which are greater than potential differences between a surface section containing the interference source surface zone and the first coupling electrode. The signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be significantly improved. It may be advantageous if the at least one second coupling electrode has a distance from the interference source surface zone which is less than a quarter of the minimum wavelength of the interference signals, whereby the signal / noise ratio of the surface antenna can be further improved.

According to the invention, the first coupling electrode is electrically coupled to an unshielded, linear conductor, hereinafter referred to as "antenna conductor". The antenna conductor serves as a line antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves. In this case, the line-shaped conductor is located outside of a space which can be projected by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna serving as a projection surface, whereby an antenna base of the line antenna becomes a common Antennenfußpunkt the line and surface antenna. The first coupling electrode may, for example, be capacitively or galvanically coupled electrically to the line-shaped antenna conductor. In this embodiment, the antenna arrangement thus has a hybrid structure of surface and line antenna.

The antenna conductor serves as a line antenna and is designed to be suitable for this purpose, that is to say it has a form suitable for reception in the desired frequency range. In contrast and in contrast to surface radiators, line antennas or line radiators have a geometric length (L) that exceeds their geometric width (B) by several orders of magnitude. The geometric length of a line radiator is the distance between antenna base and antenna tip, the geometric width of the vertical dimension. For linear radiators, the following relationship is usually valid: L / B ≥ 100. For the geometric height (H), a corresponding relationship L / H ≥ 100 applies in general, where the geometric height (H) is a dimension, which is both perpendicular to the length (L) and perpendicular to the width (B). By line emitters in the range of the terrestrial bands II to V, a satisfactory antenna signal can be provided. According to a definition of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), this is the frequency range from 87.5 MHz to 862 MHz (Band II: 87.5-108 MHz, Band III: 174-230 MHz, Band IV: 470-606 MHz, band V: 606-862 MHz). However, line emitters in the upstream frequency range of band I (47-68 MHz) can no longer achieve satisfactory reception power. The same applies to frequencies below Band I.

What is essential in the hybrid antenna arrangement is that the antenna conductor is located outside a space defined by a projection operation, which is defined by the fact that each point of the space can be projected by an orthogonal parallel projection on the conductive coating or surface antenna serving as the projection surface. If the conductive coating is only partially effective as an area antenna, serves as a projection surface only effective as a surface antenna part of the conductive coating. The antenna conductor is thus not located in the space defined by the projection operation. As usual, in the case of the parallel projection, the projection beams are parallel to one another and meet at right angles to the projection surface, which in the present case is provided by the conductive coating serving as surface antenna or its surface antenna, the projection center being at infinity. For a planar substrate and a thus planar conductive coating, the projection surface is a projection plane containing the coating. The said space is bounded by an (imaginary) edge area, which is positioned at the peripheral edge of the conductive coating or at the peripheral edge of the surface antenna effective part of the conductive coating and is perpendicular to the projection surface.

In the hybrid antenna arrangement, an antenna base of the line antenna becomes a common antenna base of the line and plane antenna. As usual, the term "antenna footpoint" describes an electrical contact for picking up received antenna signals, in particular relating to a reference potential (e.g., ground) for determining the signal levels of the antenna signals. The hybrid antenna arrangement thus advantageously allows a good reception performance with a high bandwidth, which combines the favorable reception properties of the area radiator in the frequency ranges of bands I and II with the favorable reception properties of the line radiator in the frequency ranges of bands II to V. By positioning the line radiator outside the space which can be projected onto the planar antenna by means of orthogonal parallel projection, electrical loading of the line radiator by the area radiator can be avoided in a particularly advantageous manner. The hybrid antenna arrangement thus makes available the complete frequency range of the bands I to V with a satisfactory reception power, for example for a windscreen serving as an antenna disk.

In the hybrid antenna arrangement, the antenna conductor may be specially adapted for reception in the area of terrestrial bands III-V and for this purpose preferably has a length of more than 100 millimeters (mm) and a width of less than 1 mm and a height of less than 1 mm, corresponding to a ratio length / width ≥ 100 or L / H ≥ 100. For the desired purpose, it is further preferred if the antenna conductor has a resistance of less than 20 ohm / m, more preferably less than 10 ohm / m. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the first coupling electrode can be electrically coupled to the conductive coating such that the reception power (signal level) of the surface antenna is as high as possible. This measure advantageously makes it possible to optimize the signal level of the planar antenna in order to improve the reception characteristics of the hybrid antenna arrangement. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the common antenna base of area and line antennas may be through a connection conductor with an electronic signal processing device for processing received antenna signals, such as an antenna amplifier, be electrically conductively connected, wherein the terminal contact is arranged so that the length of the connecting conductor is as short as possible. This measure advantageously enables a specific high-frequency conductor with signal conductor and at least one entrained ground conductor not necessarily to be used for the terminal conductor, but that a cost-effective signal conductor not specifically intended for the high-frequency line, such as an unshielded stranded wire or ribbon-shaped flat conductor, is used due to the short signal transmission path can, which is also connected by a relatively inexpensive connection technology. This can be saved to a considerable extent costs in the production of the hybrid antenna arrangement. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the conductive coating can cover the surface of the substrate except for a circumferential, electrically insulated edge strip, wherein the antenna conductor is located within a space that can be projected by orthogonal parallel projection on the edge strip serving as a projection surface. For this purpose, the antenna conductor can be applied to the substrate, for example in the region of the edge strip. This measure enables a particularly simple production of the hybrid antenna arrangement. In the event that the hybrid antenna arrangement is realized in the form of a composite pane, the conductive coating may be located on a surface of the at least one substrate and the line-shaped antenna conductor on a different surface thereof or a different substrate. By this measure, a particularly simple production of the hybrid antenna arrangement according to the invention can be realized. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the first coupling electrode and the antenna conductor can be electrically conductively connected to one another by a first connecting conductor, which in particular creates the possibility of designing the first coupling electrode independently of the electrical connection to the linear antenna conductor, thereby improving the performance of the hybrid antenna arrangement can be. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the antenna conductor may be on a surface of the at least one substrate and the common antenna base may be on a different surface thereof or a substrate different therefrom. For this purpose, the antenna conductor and the common Antennenfußpunkt are electrically connected to each other by a second connection conductor. Through this Measure, in particular, the electrical connection of the common Antennenfußpunkts be realized with the downstream antenna electronics in a particularly simple manner. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement of the linear antenna conductor of a metallic printing paste, for example by screen printing, printed on the at least one substrate or be laid in the form of a wire, whereby a particularly simple production of the antenna conductor is made possible. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, at least one of the conductors, selected from the first coupling electrode, the first connection conductor and the second connection conductor, can lead to the edge of the at least one substrate and be designed as a flat conductor with a width tapered in the region of the edge. By this measure, a reduced coupling surface on the substrate edge, for example, at the exit of the conductor from the composite disk for reducing a capacitive coupling with the electrically conductive vehicle body can be achieved in an advantageous manner. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the line antenna and the first coupling electrode, as well as the two connection conductors (if present) may be hidden by an opaque masking layer, whereby the optical appearance of the antenna arrangement can be improved. Furthermore, in the hybrid antenna arrangement, the conductive coating may comprise at least two planar segments which are insulated from one another by at least one line-shaped, electrically insulating region. In addition, at least one sheet-shaped segment is divided by linearly electrically insulating regions. It is particularly advantageous if a particularly peripheral edge region of the conductive coating has a multiplicity of planar segments which are subdivided by linearly electrically insulating regions. With regard to such a segmentation of the conductive coating, reference is made to the unpublished international patent application PCT / EP2009 / 066237 directed.

In a particularly advantageous manner, interference signals can be coupled out of the planar antenna in the hybrid antenna arrangement, which are in a frequency range which can be well received by the line antenna, namely the frequency range of terrestrial bands III-V above 170 MHz. Thus, there are no losses in the useful signal component of the surface antenna. Accordingly, the second coupling electrode preferably has a high-pass range corresponding to the frequency range of the terrestrial bands III-V, in particular corresponding to the frequency range of the terrestrial bands IV and V.

Also shown is an antenna structure with, inter alia, at least one electrically insulating, in particular transparent substrate, at least one electrically conductive, in particular transparent coating which at least partially covers a surface of the substrate and at least partially serves as a surface antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, at least one with the conductive coating electrically coupled first coupling electrode for coupling useful signals from the surface antenna, and at least one electrically coupled to the conductive coating second coupling electrode for coupling noise from at least one source of interference from the planar antenna, wherein the at least one second coupling electrode has a first coupling surface, the thereto is formed to be capacitively coupled to a second coupling surface acting as an electrical mass, electrically conductive structure, wherein the first Coupling surface is formed so that it is selectively permeable together with the second coupling surface for a frequency range corresponding to the out-coupled from the surface antenna noise.

In one embodiment, the at least one second coupling electrode is designed in the form of a projecting edge section of the conductive coating. Shown further is the use of an antenna structure as described above as a functional and / or decorative single piece and as a built-in furniture, appliances and buildings, as well as means of locomotion for moving on land, in the air or on water, especially in motor vehicles, for example, as a windshield, Rear window, side window and / or glass roof.

The invention further extends to a method for operating such an antenna arrangement, in which useful signals via the first coupling electrode and Interference signals are selectively coupled via the second coupling electrode from the surface antenna.

• Empfangen von Nutzsignalen mittels einer Flächenantenne, welche in Form einer auf mindestens ein elektrisch isolierendes, insbesondere transparentes, Substrat aufgebrachten elektrisch leitfähigen, transparenten Beschichtung ausgebildet ist,
• Auskoppeln der Nutzsignale aus der Flächenantenne mittels einer mit der Beschichtung elektrisch gekoppelten ersten Koppelelektrode, wobei die erste Koppelelektrode mit einem ungeschirmten, linienförmigen Antennenleiter, der als Linienantenne zum Empfangen von elektromagnetischen Wellen dient, elektrisch gekoppelt ist, wobei sich der linienförmige Antennenleiter außerhalb eines Raums befindet, der durch orthogonale Parallelprojektion auf die als Projektionsfläche dienende Flächenantenne projezierbar ist, wodurch ein Antennenfußpunkt der Linienantenne zu einem gemeinsamen Antennenfußpunkt der Linien- und Flächenantenne wird,
• selektives Auskoppeln von von der Flächenantenne (elektromagnetisch) empfangenen Störsignalen zumindest einer Störquelle aus der Flächenantenne mittels einer mit der Beschichtung elektrisch gekoppelten zweiten Koppelelektrode, welche mit einer als Masse wirkenden leitfähigen Struktur, beispielsweise eine metallische Fahrzeugkarosserie oder ein metallischer Fensterrahmen, kapazitiv gekoppelt ist, wobei die zweite Koppelelektrode über eine erste Koppelfläche und die leitfähige Struktur über eine mit der ersten Koppelfläche kapazitiv gekoppelte zweite Koppelfläche (Koppelgegenfläche) verfügt.

The method comprises the following steps:

• Receiving useful signals by means of an area antenna, which is in the form of an at least one electrically insulating, in particular transparent, applied to the substrate, electrically conductive, transparent coating,
• Decoupling the useful signals from the planar antenna by means of a first coupling electrode electrically coupled to the coating, wherein the first coupling electrode is electrically coupled to an unshielded, linear antenna conductor which serves as a line antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, wherein the line-shaped antenna conductor is located outside of a room which is projectable by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna serving as a projection surface, whereby an antenna base of the line antenna becomes a common antenna base of the line and surface antenna,
• selective decoupling from the surface antenna (electromagnetic) received interference signals of at least one source of interference from the planar antenna by means of a electrically coupled to the coating second coupling electrode, which is capacitively coupled to a acting as a mass conductive structure, such as a metallic vehicle body or a metallic window frame the second coupling electrode has a first coupling surface and the conductive structure has a second coupling surface capacitively coupled to the first coupling surface (coupling mating surface).

According to the invention, the interference signals received by the planar antenna are coupled out of the planar antenna via at least one second coupling electrode designed in the form of a projecting edge section of the conductive coating.

The method according to the invention can be realized in particular in the antenna arrangement according to the invention described above.

It is understood that the various embodiments of the antenna arrangement according to the invention and of the method for operating an antenna arrangement can be implemented individually or in any desired combinations in order to achieve further improvements in the signal / noise ratio of the antenna arrangement.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer in Form einer Verbundscheibe verkörperten, hybriden Antennenanordnung gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;

Fig. 2A-2D

Schnittansichten der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 1 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A (Fig. 2A), Schnittlinie B-B (Fig. 2B), Schnittlinien A'-A' (Fig. 2C) und Schnittlinie B'-B' (Fig. 2D);

Fig. 3A-3B

Schnittansichten einer ersten Variante der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 1 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A (Fig. 3A) und Schnittlinie B-B (Fig. 3B);

Fig. 4A-4B

Schnittansichten einer zweiten Variante der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 1 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A (Fig. 4A) und Schnittlinie B-B (Fig. 4B);

Fig. 5A-5B

Schnittansichten einer dritten Variante der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 1 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A (Fig. 5A) und Schnittlinie B-B (Fig. 5B);

Fig. 6

eine Schnittansicht einer vierten Variante der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 1 gemäß Schnittlinie B-B;

Fig. 7

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer in Form einer Verbundscheibe verkörperten hybriden Antennenanordnung gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;

Fig. 8A-8B

Schnittansichten der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 7 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A (Fig. 8A) und Schnittlinie B-B (Fig. 8B);

Fig. 9

eine Schnittansicht einer Variante der hybriden Antennenanordnung von Fig. 7 gemäß Schnittlinie A-A.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying figures. In a simplified, not to scale representation:

Fig. 1

a schematic perspective view of an embodied in the form of a composite disc, hybrid antenna arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2A-2D

Sectional views of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 1 according to section line AA ( Fig. 2A ), Section line BB ( Fig. 2B ), Section lines A'-A '( Fig. 2C ) and section line B'-B '( Fig. 2D );

FIGS. 3A-3B

Sectional views of a first variant of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 1 according to section line AA ( Fig. 3A ) and section line BB ( Fig. 3B );

Fig. 4A-4B

Sectional views of a second variant of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 1 according to section line AA ( Fig. 4A ) and section line BB ( Fig. 4B );

Fig. 5A-5B

Sectional views of a third variant of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 1 according to section line AA ( Fig. 5A ) and section line BB ( Fig. 5B );

Fig. 6

a sectional view of a fourth variant of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 1 according to section line BB;

Fig. 7

a schematic perspective view of an embodied in the form of a composite disk hybrid antenna assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 8A-8B

Sectional views of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 7 according to section line AA ( Fig. 8A ) and section line BB ( Fig. 8B );

Fig. 9

a sectional view of a variant of the hybrid antenna arrangement of Fig. 7 according to section line AA.

Detailed description of the drawings

Be first Fig. 1 and Fig. 2A to 2D which, as a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, illustrates a hybrid antenna construction, generally designated by reference numeral 1, and an antenna arrangement 100 containing the antenna structure 1. The hybrid antenna assembly 1 is embodied here, for example, as a transparent composite disk 20, which in Fig. 1 only partially shown. The composite pane 20 is transparent to visible light, for example in the wavelength range from 350 nm to 800 nm, the term "transparency" being understood to mean a light transmission of more than 50%, preferably more than 75% and especially preferably more than 80%. The composite disk 20 serves, for example, as a windshield of a motor vehicle, but it can also be used elsewhere.

The composite pane 20 comprises two transparent individual panes, namely a rigid outer pane 2 and a rigid inner pane 3, which are firmly connected to each other via a transparent thermoplastic adhesive layer 21. The individual panes have approximately the same size and are made for example of glass, in particular float glass, cast glass and ceramic glass, being equally made of a non-glassy material, such as plastic, in particular polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA), polyester (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polymethylmethacrylate (PMA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In general, any material with sufficient transparency, sufficient chemical resistance and proper dimensional and dimensional stability can be used. For another use, for example as a decorative part, it would also be possible to produce the outer and inner panes 2, 3 of a flexible material. The respective thickness of the outer and inner panes 2, 3 may vary widely depending on the use and may be, for example, in the range of 1 to 24 mm for glass.

The composite disk 20 has an at least approximately trapezoidal curved contour (in Fig. 1 only partially recognizable), which results from a disc rim 5 which is common to the two individual discs 2, 3 and which is composed of two opposite long disc edges 5a and two opposite short disc edges 5b. In the usual way, the disk surfaces are denoted by the Roman numerals I-IV, wherein "side I" of a first disk surface 24 of the outer disk 2, "side II" of a second disk surface 25 of the outer disk 2, "side III" of a third disk surface 26 of the inner disk 3 and "side IV" of a fourth disc surface 27 of the inner pane 3 corresponds. In use as a windshield side I of the external environment and side IV of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle faces.

The adhesive layer 21 for connecting the outer and inner pane 2, 3 is preferably made of an adhesive plastic preferably based on polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyurethane (PU). Here, the adhesive layer 21 is formed for example as a bilayer in the form of two bonded together PVB films, which is not shown in more detail in the figures.

Between the outer and inner pane 2, 3 there is a planar support 4, preferably made of plastic, preferably based on polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polyester (PE) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB), particularly preferably based on polyester (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Here, the carrier 4 is formed for example in the form of a PET film. The carrier 4 is embedded between the two PVB films of the adhesive layer 21 and arranged parallel to the outer and inner discs 2, 3 approximately centrally between the two, wherein a first carrier surface 22 of the second disc surface 25 and a second carrier surface 23 of the third disc surface 26th are facing. The carrier 4 does not extend all the way to the wafer edge 5, so that a carrier edge 29 is set back inwards relative to the wafer edge 5 and a carrier-free, all-round peripheral edge zone 28 of the composite wafer 20 remains. The edge zone 28 serves in particular for electrical insulation of the conductive coating 6 to the outside, for example to reduce a capacitive coupling with the electrically conductive, usually made of sheet metal Vehicle body. In addition, the conductive coating 6 is protected against penetrating from the wafer edge 5 moisture.

On the second support surface 23, a transparent, electrically conductive coating 6 is applied, which is bounded by a coating edge 8 which runs around on all sides. The conductive coating 6 covers an area which is more than 50%, preferably more than 70%, more preferably more than 80% and even more preferably more than 90% of the area of the second disk surface 25 and the third disk surface 26, respectively. The area covered by the conductive coating 6 is preferably more than 1 m ² and may generally be in the range of 100 cm ² to 25 m ² regardless of the use of the composite pane 20 as a windshield. The transparent, electrically conductive coating 6 contains or consists of at least one electrically conductive material. Examples of these are metals with a high electrical conductivity such as silver, copper, gold, aluminum or molybdenum, metal alloys such as palladium-alloyed silver, and transparent conductive oxides (TCO). TCO is preferably indium tin oxide, fluorine-doped tin dioxide, aluminum-doped tin dioxide, gallium-doped tin dioxide, boron-doped tin dioxide, tin zinc oxide or antimony-doped tin oxide.

The conductive coating 6 can consist of a single layer with such a conductive material or of a layer sequence which contains at least one such single layer. By way of example, the layer sequence may comprise at least one layer of a conductive material and at least one layer of a dielectric material. The thickness of the conductive coating 6 may vary widely depending on the use, and the thickness at each location may be, for example, in the range of 30 nm to 100 μm. In the case of TCO, the thickness is preferably in the range of 100 nm to 1.5 μm, preferably in the range of 150 nm to 1 μm, particularly preferably in the range of 200 nm to 500 nm. Is the conductive coating of a layer sequence with at least one Layer of an electrically conductive material and at least one layer of a dielectric material, the thickness is preferably 20 nm to 100 .mu.m, preferably 25 nm to 90 .mu.m, and particularly preferably 30 nm to 80 microns. Advantageously, the layer sequence is thermally highly resilient, so that they are suitable for bending Glass panes required temperatures of typically more than 600 ° C without damage survives, but also thermally low loadable layer sequences can be provided. The surface resistance of the conductive coating 6 is preferably less than 20 ohms and is for example in the range of 0.5 to 20 ohms. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sheet resistance of the conductive coating 6 is 4 ohms, for example.

The conductive coating 6 is preferably deposited from the gas phase, for which purpose known methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) can be used. Preferably, the coating 6 is applied by sputtering (magnetron sputtering).

In the composite disk 20, the conductive coating 6 serves as an area antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, preferably in the frequency range of the terrestrial broadcasting bands I and II. For this purpose, the conductive coating 6 with a first coupling electrode 10, which is formed here as a band-shaped flat conductor, electrically coupled. In the exemplary embodiment, the first coupling electrode 10 is galvanically coupled to the conductive coating 6, wherein a capacitive coupling may equally be provided. The band-shaped first coupling electrode 10 consists for example of a metallic material, preferably silver, and is printed for example by means of screen printing. It preferably has a length of more than 10 mm with a width of 5 mm or larger, preferably a length of more than 25 mm with a width of 5 mm or larger. In the exemplary embodiment, the first coupling electrode 10 has a length of 300 mm and a width of 5 mm. The thickness of the first coupling electrode 10 is preferably less than 0.015 mm. The specific conductivity of a first coupling electrode 10 made of silver is for example 61.35 · 10 ⁶ / ohm · m.

As in Fig. 1 1, the first coupling electrode 10 extends on and in direct electrical contact with the conductive coating 6 approximately parallel to the upper coating edge 8 and extends into the carrier-free edge zone 28. It is the first coupling electrode 10 arranged so that the antenna signals of the planar antenna are optimized in terms of their reception power (signal level).

As in Fig. 2A and 2 B 1, the conductive coating 6 is subdivided in a strip-shaped edge region 15 adjoining the support edge 29, for example by means of lasering, into a plurality of electrically insulated segments 16 between which electrically insulating (de-layered) regions 17 are located. The edge region 15 runs essentially parallel to the support edge 29 and can in particular be circumferential on all sides. By virtue of this measure, capacitive coupling of the conductive coating 6 to surrounding conductive structures, for example an electrically conductive vehicle body, can be counteracted in an advantageous manner. Since the edge region 15 of the conductive coating 6 as an area antenna is not effective, a part of the conductive coating 6 which is effective for the function as an area antenna is limited by a coating edge 8 '.

Within the carrier-free edge zone 28 of the composite disk 20 is embedded in the adhesive layer 4, a line-shaped, unshielded antenna conductor 12, as a line antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, preferably in the frequency range of the terrestrial radio bands II to V, particularly preferably in the frequency range of the radio bands III to V and is designed to be suitable for this purpose. In the present embodiment, the antenna conductor 12 is in the form of a wire 18, which is preferably longer than 100 mm and narrower than 1 mm. The resistance of the antenna conductor 12 is preferably less than 20 ohm / m, more preferably less than 10 ohm / m. In the embodiment shown, the length of the antenna conductor 12 is about 650 mm with a width of 0.75 mm. Its resistance coating is for example 5 ohms / m.

Here, for example, the antenna conductor 12 has an at least approximately rectilinear profile and is located completely within the carrier-free and coating-free edge zone 28 of the composite pane 20, wherein it extends predominantly along the short pane edge 5b, for example below a vehicle trim (not shown) in the region of the masking strip 9 , In this case, the antenna conductor 12 has a sufficient distance from both the disk edge 5 and the coating edge 8, whereby a capacitive coupling with the conductive coating 6 and the vehicle body is counteracted. In particular, it is advantageously achieved by the segmented edge region 15 that the distance between the conductive coating 6 and the line antenna effective in terms of radio frequency technology is increased.

Since the antenna conductor 12 outside a in Fig. 2A schematically indicated space 30, which is defined by the fact that each point contained therein can be by orthogonal parallel projection on the projection surface representing serving as a surface antenna conductive coating 6 (or on the surface antenna effective part of the conductive coating 6) can be the line antenna is not electrically stressed by the surface antenna. This defined by a projection operation space 30 is bounded by a mental boundary surface 32, which is located at the coating edge 8 and 8 'and is directed perpendicular to the carrier 21. For the segmented edge region 15, the boundary surface 32 is arranged on the coating edge 8 ', since the positioning of the antenna conductor depends on the antenna function of the conductive coating 6.

The first coupling electrode 10 is electrically coupled to the line-shaped antenna conductor 12 at a first terminal 11, not shown. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first coupling electrode 10 is galvanically coupled to the antenna conductor 12, wherein a capacitive coupling may equally be provided. The first connection contact 11 of the first coupling electrode 10 or the connection point between the first coupling electrode 10 and the antenna conductor 12 can be considered as Antennenfußpunkt for tapping antenna signals of the surface antenna. In fact, however, a second terminal contact 14 of the antenna conductor 12 serves as a common Antennenfußpunkt 13 for tapping the antenna signals of both the planar antenna and the line antenna. The antenna signals of the surface and the line antenna are thus provided at the second terminal contact 14.

The second terminal contact 14 is electrically coupled to a parasitic acting as an antenna terminal conductor 19. In the present exemplary embodiment, the connection conductor 19 is galvanically coupled to the second connection contact 14, although a capacitive coupling may also be provided. About the connection conductor 19 and a connected connector 31 is the hybrid antenna assembly 1 with downstream electronic components, such as an antenna amplifier, electrically connected, wherein the antenna signals are led out through the connection conductor 19 of the composite disk 20. As in Fig. 2B shown, the connecting conductor 19 extends from the adhesive layer 21 on the disc edge 5 across the fourth disc surface 27 (page IV) and then leads away from the composite disc 20. In this case, the spatial position of the second connection contact 14 is selected so that the connection conductor 19 is as short as possible and its parasitic effect is minimized as an antenna, so that it is possible to dispense with the use of a conductor designed specifically for high-frequency technology. The connection conductor 19 is preferably shorter than 100 mm. Accordingly, the connection conductor 19 is here for example designed as unshielded stranded wire or foil conductor, which is inexpensive and space-saving and can also be connected via a relatively simple connection technology. The width of the connecting conductor 19 formed here, for example, as a flat conductor, preferably tapers towards the edge of the pane 5 in order to counteract capacitive coupling with the vehicle body.

In the hybrid antenna structure 1, the transparent, electrically conductive coating 6, depending on the material composition, fulfill other functions. For example, it may serve as a heat ray-reflecting coating for purposes of sunscreen, thermoregulation or thermal insulation or as a heating layer for electrically heating the composite disk 20. These functions are of secondary importance to the present invention.

Furthermore, the outer pane 2 is provided with an opaque ink layer, which is applied to the second pane surface 25 (page II) and forms a frame-shaped circumferential masking strip 9, which is not shown in detail in the figures. The color layer is preferably made of an electrically non-conductive, black-colored material that can be baked into the outer pane 2. The masking strip 9 on the one hand prevents the view of an adhesive strand, with which the composite disc 20 can be glued into a vehicle body, on the other hand it serves as UV protection for the adhesive material used.

The surface coating serving as a conductive coating 6 is provided with two adjacent to the long edge of the disk 5a projecting surface areas, each serving as a second (capacitive) coupling electrode 36, 36 '. In Fig. 1 the two planar projections at least approximately a rectangular shape, while equally any other suitable for use form may be provided. The conductive coating 6 has no segmented edge region 15 in the surface sections adjoining the two second coupling electrodes 36, 36 '. The two second coupling electrodes 36, 36' each extend into the otherwise coating-free edge strips 7.

As in Fig. 2C illustrated, the carrier 4 passes with the conductive coating 6 in a juxtaposition with an electrically conductive structure 37 and is capacitively coupled thereto. More precisely, there is a first surface portion 40, 40 'of the coating 6, which corresponds to the second coupling electrode 36, 36' and serves as a first capacitive coupling surface, in parallel juxtaposition to a second surface portion 41 of the electrically conductive structure 37, which as a second capacitive coupling surface (Coupling mating surface) is used, wherein the two first coupling surfaces are capacitively coupled to the second coupling surface. The electrically conductive structure 37 may be, for example, the body of a motor vehicle. The electrically conductive structure 37 is fixedly connected to the fourth disk surface 27 of the inner pane 3 here, for example, by means of an adhesive bead 38. Accordingly, the conductive coating 6 is capacitively coupled to the electrically conductive structure 37 via the two second coupling electrodes 36, 36 '. As in Fig. 2D is shown, the conductive coating 6 outside the two second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'is not in juxtaposition to the conductive structure 37, so that it is capacitively not coupled to the conductive structure 37.

Now, for example, in a motor vehicle various sources of interference, such as clocked electrical equipment, such as sensors, cameras, engine control unit and the like, emit electromagnetic interference in the form of electromagnetic free space waves that can be received by serving as a surface antenna conductive coating 6 due to the large antenna surface. In Fig. 1 By way of example, two physical interference sources 39, 39 'are based on their projection locations in the region of the coating-free region Edge strip 7 at the upper and lower long disc edge 5a schematically illustrated.

The interfering signals of the two interference sources 39, 39 'received by the planar antenna have in the two interference source surface zones 42, 42' a maximum signal amplitude or a signal amplitude which lies above a determinable amplitude value. Here, the points of the upper disturbance source area 42 have a shortest (for example, perpendicular) distance from the upper disturbance source 39 and the points of the lower disturbance source area 42 'a shortest (for example, perpendicular) distance from the lower disturbance source 39'. The shapes of the noise source surface zones 42, 42 'depend on the respective shapes of the noise sources 39, 39', it being understood that the in Fig. 1 illustrated forms are to be considered as exemplary only.

As in Fig. 1 shown, the second coupling electrode 36 is disposed in the vicinity of the first coupling electrode 10 and is located between the first coupling electrode 10 and the upper Störquellenflächezone 42 of the upper interference source 39. The second coupling electrode 36 has here, for example, a geometric distance from the first coupling electrode 10, the is less than 7.5 cm, corresponding to a quarter of the minimum wavelength of interfering signals in the frequency range of terrestrial bands III-V. The second coupling electrode 36 'is arranged in the vicinity of the lower interference source surface zone 42' of the lower interference source 39 '. Here, for example, the second coupling electrode 36 'has a geometric distance from the lower interference source surface zone 42', which is less than 7.5 cm. In addition, the two second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'together with the coupling mating surface of the conductive structure 37 a frequency-selective transmission behavior and act as a high-pass filter, the two second coupling electrodes 36, 36' and the coupling mating surface of the conductive structure 37 are formed here, for example, that they only allow frequencies above 170 MHz to pass. The two second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'thus act frequency selective for the terrestrial bands III-V. In the present case, it is assumed that the interference signals of the two interference sources 39, 39 'are in a frequency range above 170 MHz. The desired frequency selectivity can be achieved in a simple manner by adjusting the capacitive properties of the second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'capacitively coupled to the conductive structure 37. For this purpose, it is only necessary that Adjust the size of the opposing (capacitively active) areas of the second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'and the conductive structure 37 and the size of the intermediate distance of these capacitively active areas appropriately.

The interference signals received by the upper interference source 39 (and additionally by the lower interference source 39 ') are thus coupled out of the upper second coupling electrode 36 from the conductive surface coating 6 as a surface antenna due to the frequency-selective transmission behavior of the upper second coupling electrode 36. In addition, due to the spatial position between the upper interference source area zone 42 and the first coupling electrode 10, the interference signals of the upper interference source 39 are coupled out of the second coupling electrode 36 predominantly from a surface section of the conductive coating 6 containing the upper interference source area zone 42 and the upper second coupling electrode 36. On the other hand, due to the proximity of the second coupling electrode 36 'to the lower interfering-source surface zone 42' and the frequency-selective transmission behavior of the second coupling electrode 36 ', the interfering signals received from the lower interfering source 39' are primarily from the lower second coupling electrode 36 'made of the conductive coating 6 decoupled. The spatial proximity of the second coupling electrode 36 'to the lower Störquellenflächezone 42' causes signal differences in potential differences between a lower Störquellenflächezone 42 'containing surface portion and the lower second coupling electrode 36', which are greater than potential differences between this surface portion and the first coupling electrode 10, so that These interference signals are primarily decoupled via the lower second coupling electrode 36 '.

Nevertheless, the first coupling electrode 10 can decouple antenna signals from surface regions of the conductive coating 6 that are different from the interference source surface zones 42, 42, in which potential differences with respect to the first coupling electrode 10 occur during signal reception which are greater than potential differences with respect to the two second coupling electrodes 36 , 36 '. Useful signals which lie in the frequency range coupled out as interference signals via the electrically conductive structure 37 (ground) can be received in an advantageous manner via the antenna conductor 12 serving as a line antenna, so that virtually no signal loss occurs. The antenna conductor 12 is by the interference signals of the interference sources 39, 39 'not or only in negligible Way disturbed. The antenna arrangement 100 with hybrid antenna structure 1 is thus distinguished by an outstanding signal / noise ratio.

With reference to the further figures, different embodiments of the antenna arrangement 1 with hybrid antenna structure 1 are explained in the following, in each of which a capacitive coupling of the second coupling electrodes 36, 36 'to the conductive structure 37 is realized.

It will now be related to the FIGS. 3A and 3B which shows a first variant of the antenna arrangement 100 with hybrid antenna structure 1. To avoid unnecessary repetition, only the differences from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 . 2A and 2 B and otherwise reference is made to the statements made there. Accordingly, no support 4 is provided for the conductive coating 6 in the composite pane 20, since this is applied to the third pane surface 26 (side III) of the inner pane 3. The conductive coating 6 does not extend all the way to the wafer edge 5, so that an edge strip 7 of the third wafer surface 26 which runs around on all sides and remains free of coating remains. The width of the peripheral edge strip 7 can vary widely. Preferably, the width of the edge strip 7 is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 cm, preferably in the range of 0.3 to 1.3 cm and particularly preferably in the range of 0.4 to 1.0 cm. The edge strip 7 serves in particular for an electrical insulation of the conductive coating 6 to the outside and for reducing a capacitive coupling with surrounding conductive structures. The edge strip 7 can be produced by subsequent removal of the conductive coating 6, for example by abrasive removal, laser ablation or etching, or by masking the inner pane 3 before the application of the conductive coating 6 to the third pane surface 26.

The antenna conductor 12 serving as a line antenna is applied to the third disk surface 26 in the region of the coating-free edge strip 7. In the variant shown, the antenna conductor 12 is formed in the form of a flat conductor track 35, which is preferably applied by printing, for example screen printing, a metallic printing paste. Thus, the line antenna and the surface antenna are on the same surface (page III) of the inner pane 3. The band-shaped first coupling electrode 10th extends beyond the line-shaped antenna conductor 12 and is galvanically coupled thereto, wherein a capacitive coupling may equally be provided.

The antenna radiator 12 is located outside the in Fig. 3A illustrated space 30, in which each point can be imaged by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna, so that the line antenna is not electrically charged by the surface antenna. In Fig. 3A is the space 30 bounding (imaginary) boundary surface 32, which is directed perpendicular to the third disc surface 26 and at the coating edge 8 and 8 '(in the edge region 15) is arranged schematically. In other words, the line-shaped antenna conductor 12 is located in an unspecified space in which each point can be imaged by orthogonal parallel projection on the non-coating edge strip 7 serving as a projection surface. An electrical load on the line antenna by the planar antenna is thereby avoided in an advantageous manner.

In the FIGS. 4A and 4B a second variant of the antenna arrangement 100 is shown with hybrid antenna structure 1, wherein only the differences from the first variant of FIGS. 3A and 3B Be described and otherwise made to the statements made there reference. Accordingly, no composite disk 20 but only a single-pane glass with a single pane corresponding to, for example, outer pane 2 is provided. The conductive coating 6 is applied to the first pane surface 24 (side I), wherein the conductive coating 6 does not extend all the way to the pane edge 5, so that a circumferential, coating-free edge strip 7 of the first pane surface 24 remains on all sides. In the region of the coating-free edge strip 7 serving as a line antenna, formed in the form of a conductor 35 line-shaped antenna conductor 12 is applied to the first disk surface 24. The antenna conductor 12 is thus located outside of in Fig. 4A illustrated space 30, in which each point can be imaged by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna. The connection conductor 19 makes contact with the second connection contact 14 of the antenna conductor 12 and then leads away from the antenna conductor 12 on the same side of the outer pane 2.

In the Figures 5A and 5B a third variant of the antenna arrangement 100 is shown with hybrid antenna structure 1, wherein only the differences from the first embodiment the FIGS. 1 . 2A and 2 B Be described and otherwise made to the statements made there reference. Accordingly, a carrier 4 is provided in the composite disk 20, on which the conductive coating 6 is applied. The band-shaped first coupling electrode 10 is applied to the fourth surface (side IV) of the inner pane 3 and capacitively coupled to the conductive coating 6 serving as a planar antenna. Serving as a line antenna antenna conductor 12 is also on the fourth disc surface 27 of the inner pane 3, for example by printing, for example screen printing, applied and galvanically coupled to the coupling electrode, but equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. Thus, the patch antenna and the line antenna are on different surfaces of mutually different substrates. The antenna conductor 12 is located outside the space 30, in which each point can be imaged by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna 6, so that the line antenna is not electrically stressed by the planar antenna. The connecting conductor 19 contacts the antenna conductor 12 and leads away directly from the composite disk 20.

In FIG. 6 a fourth variant of the antenna arrangement 100 is shown with hybrid antenna structure 1, wherein only the differences from the third variant of Fig. 5A and 5B Be described and otherwise made to the statements made there reference. Accordingly, the line-shaped antenna conductor 12 formed as a flat conductor track 35 is applied to the third disk surface 26 of the inner disk 3. A second connecting conductor 34 is applied to the antenna conductor 12 at the base of the antenna and extends over the short disk edge 5b to the fourth disk surface 27 (side IV) of the inner disk 3. In the variant shown, the second connecting conductor 34 is galvanically coupled to the antenna conductor 12, where equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. The second connection conductor 34 may be made of the same material as the coupling electrode 10, for example. The connecting conductor 19 contacts the second connecting conductor 34 on the fourth disk surface 27 and leads away from the composite disk 20. The width (dimension perpendicular to the extension direction) of the second connecting conductor 34 designed as a band-shaped flat conductor preferably tapers towards the short disk edge 5b, so that a capacitive coupling between the conductive coating 6 and the electrically conductive vehicle body can be counteracted.

In the Fig. 7 . 8A and 8B a second embodiment of the antenna arrangement according to the invention is illustrated with hybrid antenna structure 1, wherein only the differences from the first embodiment of the FIGS. 1 . 2A and 2 B Be described and otherwise made to the statements made there reference. Accordingly, a composite disk 20 is provided with a carrier 4 embedded in the adhesive layer 21 and a transparent, conductive coating 6 applied on the second carrier surface 23. The conductive coating 6 is applied over the entire surface of the second support surface 23, wherein a segmented edge region 15 is not formed, however, may be provided equally.

The first coupling electrode 10 is located on the conductive coating 6 and is galvanically coupled thereto, but equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. The first coupling electrode 10 extends over the upper, long disk edge 5a on the fourth disk surface 27 (side IV) of the inner pane 3. The line-shaped antenna conductor 12 is analogous to that in connection with Fig. 5A and 5B described third variant of the first embodiment as a conductor 35 applied to the fourth disc surface 27 of the inner pane 3. At its other end, the first coupling electrode 10 is located on the antenna conductor 12 and is galvanically coupled thereto, but equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. The antenna conductor 12 is located outside of the space 30 in which each point can be imaged by orthogonal parallel projection on the surface antenna, so that the line antenna is not electrically charged by the surface antenna. The connecting conductor 19 contacts the antenna conductor 12 and leads away directly from the composite disk 20.

In Fig. 9 a variant is shown, wherein to avoid repetition, only the differences from the second embodiment of Fig. 7 . 8A and 8B be explained. Accordingly, the first coupling electrode 10 is formed only in the region of the conductive coating 6, this is in direct contact and is thus galvanically coupled to the conductive coating 6, wherein a capacitive coupling may equally be provided. A first connecting conductor 33 is in direct contact with its one end of the first coupling electrode 10 and is galvanically connected to the conductive Coating 6 coupled, but equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. The first connection conductor 33 extends beyond the upper long disk edge 5a to the fourth disk surface 27 (side IV) of the inner disk 3 and contacts with its other end the antenna conductor 12 formed as a conductor. The first connection conductor 33 is in direct contact with the antenna conductor 12 and is, for example, galvanically coupled to it via a soldering contact, but equally a capacitive coupling can be provided. The first connection conductor 33 may, for example, be made of the same material as the first coupling electrode 10, so that the first coupling electrode 10 and the first connection conductor 33 may together also be regarded as a two-part coupling electrode. The width (dimension perpendicular to the extension direction) of the band-shaped flat conductor formed first connection conductor 33 preferably tapers towards the long edge of the disk 5 a, so that a capacitive coupling between the conductive coating 6 and the vehicle body can be counteracted.

The invention provides an antenna arrangement with a hybrid antenna structure, which enables a bandwidth-optimized reception of electromagnetic waves, wherein a satisfactory reception performance can be achieved by the combination of surface and line antenna over the entire frequency range of the bands I-V. Due to the possibility that noise signals from external interference sources received by the planar antenna as free space waves can be coupled out via a mass capacitively coupled to the planar antenna, the antenna arrangement has an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• 1 antenna structure
• 2 outer pane
• 3 inner pane
• 4 carriers
• 5 slice edge
• 5a long wheel rim
• 5b short disc edge
• 6 coating
• 7 edge stripes
• 8, 8 'coating edge
• 9 masking strips
• 10 first coupling electrode
• 11 first connection contact
• 12 antenna conductors
• 13 antenna base point
• 14 second connection contact
• 15 border area
• 16 segment
• 17 insulating area
• 18 wire
• 19 connection conductor
• 20 composite disk
• 21 adhesive layer
• 22 first support surface
• 23 second carrier surface
• 24 first disc surface
• 25 second disc surface
• 26 third disc surface
• 27 fourth disc surface
• 28 border zone
• 29 bearer edge
• 30 room
• 31 connector
• 32 boundary surface
• 33 first connecting conductor
• 34 second connection conductor
• 35 trace
• 36, 36 'second coupling electrode
• 37 conductive structure
• 38 adhesive bead
• 39, 39 'source of interference
• 40, 40 'first surface section
• 41 second surface section
• 42, 42 'Störquellenflächezone
• 100 antenna arrangement

Claims (7)

1. Antenna assembly (100), comprising:

   - at least one electrically insulating, transparent substrate (2-4),

   - at least one electrically conductive, transparent coating (6), which covers a surface (22-27) of the substrate at least section-wise and serves at least section-wise as a planar antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves,

   - at least one first coupling electrode (10) electrically coupled to the conductive coating (6) for extracting useful signals from the planar antenna, wherein the first coupling electrode (10) is electrically coupled to an unshielded, linear antenna conductor (12), which serves as a linear antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, wherein the linear antenna conductor is situated outside an area (30) that can be projected by orthogonal parallel projection onto the planar antenna serving as the projection area, by means of which an antenna foot point of the linear antenna becomes a common antenna foot point (13) of the linear and planar antenna;

   - at least one source of interference (39, 39'), which is disposed such that interfering signals can be received by the planar antenna,

   - an electrically conductive structure (37) acting as a ground, for example, a metallic motor vehicle body or a metallic window frame,

   - at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') electrically coupled to the conductive coating (6) for extracting interfering signals of the at least one source of interference (39, 39') from the planar antenna, wherein the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') has a first coupling surface (40, 40') and the conductive structure (37) has a second coupling surface (41) capacitively coupled to the first coupling surface (43) and the coupling surfaces (40, 40', 41) are configured such that they selectively allow passage of a frequency range that corresponds to the interfering signals to be extracted from the planar antenna, wherein the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') is implemented in the form of a protruding edge section of the conductive coating (6).
2. Antenna assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') is disposed near the first coupling electrode (10) and, in particular, at a distance from the first coupling electrode (10) that is less than one fourth of the minimum wavelength of the interfering signals.
3. Antenna assembly (100) according to one of claims 1 through 2, characterized in that the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') is disposed between a source of interference area zone (42, 42') of the conductive coating (6), whose points are at a shortest distance from the at least one source of interference (39, 39'), and the first coupling electrode (10).
4. Antenna assembly (100) according to one of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that a geometric distance between the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') and a source of interference area zone (42, 42') of the conductive coating (6), whose points are at a shortest distance from the at least one source of interference (39, 39'), is less than a geometric distance between the first coupling electrode (10) and the source of interference area zone (42, 42').
5. Antenna assembly (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') is at a distance from the source of interference area zone (42, 42') that is less than one fourth of the minimum wavelength of the interfering signals.
6. Antenna assembly (100) according to one of claims 1 through 5, characterized in that the capacitively coupled coupling surfaces (40, 40', 41) of the at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') and the conductive structure (37) are configured such that they selectively allow passage of a frequency range above 170 MHz.
7. Method for operating an antenna assembly (100), comprising the following steps:

   - receiving of useful signals by means of a planar antenna, which is implemented in the form of an electrically conductive, transparent coating (6) applied on at least one electrically insulating, transparent substrate (2-4),

   - extracting of the useful signals from the planar antenna by means of a first coupling electrode (10) electrically coupled to the coating (6), wherein the first coupling electrode (10) is electrically coupled to an unshielded, linear antenna conductor (12), which serves as a linear antenna for receiving electromagnetic waves, wherein the linear antenna conductor is situated outside an area (30) that can be projected by orthogonal parallel projection onto the planar antenna serving as the projection area, by means of which an antenna foot point of the linear antenna becomes a common antenna foot point (13) of the linear and planar antenna,

   - selectively extracting of interfering signals of at least one source of interference (39, 39') received by the planar antenna from the planar antenna by means of a second coupling electrode (36, 36') electrically coupled to the coating (6), which second coupling electrode (36, 36') is capacitively coupled to a conductive structure (37) acting as a ground, for example, a metallic motor vehicle body or a metallic window frame, wherein the second coupling electrode (36, 36') has a first coupling surface (40, 40') and the conductive structure (37) has a second coupling surface (41) capacitively coupled to the first coupling surface (40, 40'), and wherein the interfering signals received by the planar antenna are extracted from the planar antenna via at least one second coupling electrode (36, 36') configured in the form of a protruding edge section of the conductive coating (6).

Images